AFL fans converge in Cairns

Tropical North Queensland will welcome thousands of AFL fans into Cazaly's Stadium today (13th July) as the Richmond Tigers take on the Gold Coast Suns as part of the annual AFL Premiership match in Cairns.

Queensland Minister for Tourism, Major Events, Small Business and the Commonwealth Games Jann Stuckey said the event gave 'southerners' another great reason to escape the winter weather and book a holiday to Tropical North Queensland during the winter months.

In the year to March 2013, more than 1.5 million Australians travelled to Tropical North Queensland spending 7.6 million nights and $1.5 billion on trips to the region.

Minister Stuckey explained "the AFL has a loyal fan base and it is major sporting events like this that showcase Cairns as a premier sporting destination.

"The Queensland Government recognises that tourism and events are intrinsically linked.

"Supporting major events like the Toyota AFL Premiership Match in Cairns is part of our commitment to double annual overnight visitor expenditure from $15 billion to $30 billion by 2020.

"This event is part of a growing calendar of major events secured for the region through Tourism and Events Queensland.

"Those events include the UCI Mountain Bike World Cups in 2014 and 2016, the 2017 UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships, Great Barrier Reef Masters Games and the Cairns Airport Adventure Festival including Ironman Cairns."

Tourism and Events Queensland Chief Executive Steven Wright said he looked forward to welcoming the Richmond Tigers to Tropical North Queensland, adding "it is great to see the Richmond Tigers take on the Gold Coast SUNS at Cazaly's Stadium in Cairns, showcasing the idyllic tropical location to southern fans as a premier holiday destination.

"This match is great news for the local industry, with many fans set to stay on after the match, taking advantage of the many tourism experiences on offer in Tropical North Queensland."

13th February 2013 - AFL REACHES OUT TO FANS AROUND THE WORLD WITH NEW ONLINE PLATFORM 

12th July 2012 - COUNTDOWN TO AFL PREMIERSHIP MATCH IN TROPICAL NORTH QUEENSLAND

30th January 2012 - CAIRNS’ TOURISM RECOVERY TO FOCUS ON SPORT TOURISM 

16th February 2011 - CAIRNS TO BUILD GOSFORD STADIUM REPLICA?

7th September 2010 - ENTSCH WANTS SPORTS FACILITIES IN CAIRNS CULTURAL PRECINCT

11th February 2010 - AFL FANS THE FOCUS OF NEW RESEARCH 

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